2023 May/June Section Hike - Day 1 - SOBO Damascus, VA to Abington Gap Shelter

Mon May 29th 2023

Start Time:  2:30pm (6+ hour drive from home) 

Miles Hiked: 9.9

   Finally getting back on the trail for another section hike. I injured my knees last year, and I've been letting them heal. I did a 6 mile day hike on a trail near my home as a test, they felt fine the next day, so I'm hoping they're up to a real section hike. We'll see.

Stopped for a last Cheeseburger before walking off into the cheeseburgerless desolation of the AT between town stops. 

Started in Damascus, VA.  Unfortunately Avocado had school, so I brought along a friend from church/ a Battalion Dad. It's his first section hike (unless you count our scouting trips in MD on the AT), but he's also run Triathlons and is on the opposite end of the fitness spectrum from me. So I'm not worried about his ability to keep up...more worried about his patience waiting on me...lol. Prior to the hike he commented in a text that he is "happy to carry the bulk of the burden", so I threatened to give him the trail name "Sherpa."  He replied "The mighty Sherpas. The unsung heros of Mt. Everest feats. I'd wear that name with pride."  Sure thing Sherpa...you can carry the bear canister with all the food then. 

You will get bears on this ride.  Especially if all the food is in your pack. 

Nice gentle..but long, grade out of Damascus. We get to start our adventure with a long climb. 

The woods is very green from the recent rains. It rained most of our drive down, and then stopped an hour or two before we arrived. So everything is wet. 

Even I'm wet, but that's sweat, not rain. But at least the temperatures aren't that hot, so it's not too bad. 

Ferns!

We made pretty good time to the campsite, Sherpa did a great job setting up the hammock and tarp I loaned him. It's a dyneema asym tarp...under 4 oz in weight, and it's so small...um...lets just hope it doesn't rain too much. It technically covers everything, but I've never tested it in the rain. There is a non-zero chance that Sherpa will be soaked in rain prior to a bear eating him tonight. Did I mention this shelter has had a lot of bear activity?  Multiple reports of bears dropping in at night looking for food. This is my first trip ever using a bear canister, we'll see if the bears enjoy playing with it.